By Richard Carrier
Contributing Writer

The Blessed Sacrament Huguenot girls basketball squad took the floor last Monday as if they intended to run the visiting Southampton Raiders out of the gym.

Katie Clarke opened the scoring off an assist from Geena Landon. Taylor Thompson dropped in a jumper, Corrine Birriel’s steal led to a Landon basket and Clarke bombed a three from the corner as the Knights built a quick 9-0 lead.

But the Raiders, who entered the Virginia Commonwealth Conference game with an impressive 9-2 record, answered with a 12-0 run of their own.

Clarke’s free throw and power move to the basket produced a 12-all tie at the end of first quarter.

With the opportunity to put a big notch in their belts against one of the top teams in the conference, the Knights went into halftime with a 26-23 lead and opened the third quarter with an 8-3 run to stretch the lead to 34-26 with four minutes left. Landon extended the advantage to 40-28 with a run-out for a layup.

Clarke sank two free throws to open the final stanza and give the Lady Knights a comfortable 13-point lead with only seven minutes left on the clock.

But two factors – the tenaciousness of Southampton’s Rachel Holland and the Knights’ mistake of engaging the Raiders in an up-tempo game – helped the visitors rally again to force overtime.
Blessed Sacrament’s foul trouble and Southampton’s calm at the free throw line in the extra period spelled a 57-53 loss for the Knights.

Holland scored a game-high 26 points for Southampton, which improved to 6-2 in conference play. Teammate Barclay Gatten joined her in double figures with 10 points.

Clarke paced BSH (6-6 overall, 4-4 VCC) with 25 points. Landon added nine, Thompson eight and Birriel seven.

Holland, who had been scoring on drives and short jumpers, stroked in a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter and added a hard drive down the lane for a quick five points.

Trying to run, the Knights turned the ball over on three consecutive possessions, even failing to convert a breakaway layup.

At that point, BSH had been charged with eight fouls to only two for the visitors, who took advantage by knocking down four consecutive free throws and closing their deficit to 44-40.

Holland, who scored 14 of her 26 points in the final quarter, arched in another 3-pointer to cut the BSH lead to one.

Kimberly Robben (game-high 15 rebounds) went to the line and knocked down two pressure free throws, but Holland dropped in another 3 and pumped her first as she tied the game at 46.

With 1:02 remaining, Landon lost possession on a five-second call – one of 12 turnovers for the junior point guard –and the Raiders set up a very controlled offense. Sarah Best eventually got loose on the baseline, but Clarke stuffed her last-second attempt and the teams headed to overtime.

Gatten’s long two drew first blood for the Raiders. Her offensive rebound and put-back quickly had the Knights looking at a four-point deficit.

Clarke took over and scored on a slick inbounds play. After a Raiders turnover, she drove the lane and scored while falling down to tie the game at 50.

The Knights turned the ball over on their next two possessions, then fouled Best. The JV call-up calmly sank two free throws.

Birriel fouled out and Landon missed on a runner, but Holland failed to convert two free throws. With 30 seconds left, the Knights were only down by two.

Clarke went aggressively to the hoop, drew the foul and made one free throw.

Best was fouled again – after the game, it was determined that Best had been in the Raiders’ line-up in three separate quarters, which is a violation, as JV players may only play in two quarters of a varsity game – and sunk both free throws to give the visitors a three-point lead.

Landon’s try for the tie missed, but Robben snatched the offensive rebound and drew a foul. Although Robben missed both free throws, Clarke snatched the last miss and was fouled. The junior forward knocked down both free throws to pull the Knights within one.

Holland was fouled and made one free throw. A tie-up on her miss gave the ball back to the Raiders, and Gatten was fouled and sank both free throws for the final margin.